Shoe sewing machine



Sept. 23, 1952 c. H. JAMES ETAL SHOE SEWING MACHINE 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 Filed 001;. 31. 1950 fizz/an tors @ril H James F1 194 Picks Patented Sept. 23, 1952 I SHOE SEWING MACHINE TGyrilHan-y James and Fred Ricks,Leicester,

England; assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a a corporation of New. Jersey ApplicationOctober a1, 1950;1Serial No; 193,144

' In Great Britain January 4, 1950 Thisinvention'relates tdimprovements. in machines for sewing shoes.

Amethod of: shoe manufacture 'whichenables a. high quality"closed toei'and "closed heel shoe and which simulates 'a slip-lasted shoe of the platform type, has recentlybeen proposed. For this purpose aite'chniquei-is employed somewhat similar to that used in the manufacture of Veldtschoen-shoes. ':'In accordance with the method referred to an upper is"" puiled over" a last on aVeldtschoen Assembling 1 Machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,996,103. granted April" 2, 1935;upon application of Harold E. Elliott et aluand as modified in accordance with the disclosure of the complete specification of British Letters'Patent No. 453,844. The upper'of a Veldtschoen shoe then-is lasted andhasitsmarginal portion'unite'd with the marginal portion .of' a; reinforced sock lining, to which has been spotted*previously-a relatively thick resilient sole member in'the nature of a platform sole a sewn seam'conveniently'having been inserted by a machinev known in theshoe manufacturing trade as a No. 4 Rapid Stitching Machine and disclosed in United States Letters Patent No.1',l98,405 grantedseptember 19, 1916, upon application of 'Arthur'Bates. In'the latter patent, the machine includes, in addition to the usual stitch 'fonning devicesya gripper, operating in time relation to'the sewing.instrumentalities, for tensioning the upper and pulling itdown to the last.

The stitching machine or the last-named patent may be provided with a knife fitted to the presserfoot of the machine in such manner that it 'depends'therfrom and 'entersthe platform sole in a locality near-thesewing-point so that, as thework is fed past the sewing instrumentalities, the knife drags throu'ghthe. sole andforms a cut shaped'imoutline following closely that oi the seam. 'iIn' this' way' the stltchesare pulled 'down into and through'the cut'and'are 'set against the reinforced sock lining," portions 'of the sole lying outwardlyrofthe'seam line-being trimmed on.

For advantageous use "in '-carrying out the method above referred to, the stitching machine is provided with a guide for-directing a platform wrapper or'coversstrip into a seam which unites the .upper and sock lining. v After the'sewing "operation the j platform cover extends upwardlyaround the shoe with what will eventually be L its outside surface lying" adjacent the upper. The platform cover is later turned'down to cover the edge of'the'sole memberand' i -lasted under the marginal portionaott-he'sole member :eonveniently by means "of a 1 machine of the kind disclosed in "United States 'Letters Patent No. 2,411,827, granted November' izfi, .1946, and No. 2,476,970, granted "July 26, 1949, both upon 'application of 'JosephxFossa. An. outsolean'd shallow heelare thenattachedto the shoe bottom in a conventional manner.

With" the arrangement above referred 1 to it is difficult to cause'the knife to cut into the'sole to the proper "depth without cutting into the sock lining. If the' knife does not quite :cut through the sole member it has-been found that there is a tendency for "the:stitchea'as'theyare set, to cut through the shallow remaining'uncut portion but, in this'case, 'withsoles of fibrous or granular 'materials'at least, portions of "the material may'become trapped under the stitches and, later,-work out? leaving the stitches loose.

It is one ofthe various objects of the present invention to provide astitching machine having an pp r n ripper, as above referred to, with improved cutting means, sov constructed and arranged that there is no 'danger'of cutting into the reinforced sock linin'g'when operating on a shoe or the kind-above described.

There will be hereinafter described *a convenient construction-of machine'providedby the invention and illustrative thereoi, the illustrative machine being of the curved hook needle type disclosedin'PatentNo. 1,198,405 but, with the above objects in view, the usual presser footis dispensed with, the'machine beingprovided instead with a combine'd-cuttingdevice' and presser foot block'supporting a servering knife'clamped to'a notch in the block and having formed at'a lower end thereofa'fin projecting between adjacent layers of the materials "and'forming the pressor foot of the machine'to'clamp the'f-sock lining and upper together and 'to protect the socklining from injury. by the knife.

'Inpreparing workfor operation-l-by the illustrative'machine the marginal portion of thesole is not stuck to the marginal portion of therein'forcefd sock lining and the sole; at 'one' point around its periphery, 'has a notch extending through its-thickness at the startingposition of.

the stitching operation. The work will be'then presented to the machine in such manner that the knife or the combined cutting device and presser foot, is received in 1 the notch in the sole while the'fin extends beneath an'adjacent' portion of the margin of the1s0le .bBtWGeRlthGYSOIB and the reinforced sock lining "and actually presses the' latter with the upper materials" and platform wrapper against the work support of the machine. During operation of the machine the upper is tensioned by the usual gripper devices and the margin of the upper is secured to the margin of the sock lining, the peripheral portion of the sole being completely out through by the knife, as the work is fed past the stitch forming devices at a location adjacent the seam line,

th stitches as they are formed being pulled shoe bottom (a condition which would b undesirable as detracting from the appearance of high class shoes) it is contemplated to set the knife above referred to, while being in the vicinity of the seam line, in a manner to out through the sole member along a line following the seam but spaced inwardly (of the shoe bottom) a distance of some 1 6 from the actual seam line, thereby providing room to receive the portions of the upper, sock lining and wrapper adjacent the seam when the wrapper is turned down.

In using a stitching machine of the general kind disclosed in Patent No. 1,198,405, it is desirable to tip the shoe relatively to the path of movement of the needle to varying extents as the operation proceeds around the shoe, such tipping being most necessary. when sewing along the inside of the shank (where the side of the last within the upper is usually markedly concave). Despite such tipping of the shoe to varying extents the marginal portions of the upper, reinforced sock lining and platform wrapper are held between the presser foot andthe work support in substantially a fixed plane. In order to insure that the marginal portion of the platform sole also is maintained in a substantially fixed horizontalplane throughout the stitching operation and that the sole is cut at substantially a constant angle perpendicular to its tread surface all around the shoe, the illustrative machine hereinafter described is provided with a spring pressed collar slidably mounted for yielding movement along the blade-of the knife and downwardly against the tread surface'of the sole, which is-uppermost during the stitching operationp The collar squeezingth marginal portion of the sole against the fin on the presser foot tends to hold the marginal portion of the sole in a substantially fixed plane during the stitching operation despite tipping ofthe shoe to varying extents as that operation proceeds around the shoe.

These and other features of theinvention as hereinafter described and claimed will be apparent from consideration of the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is aside sectional elevation taken in a plane at the left of the operating devices in a machine embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a portion'of the operating mechanism for the presser foot, showing type of shoe.

4 also a portion of the work support and wrapper strip guide;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the work support, Wrapper strip guide and operating devices showing a portion of a shoe located in operating position;.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig3;

Fi 6 is a detailed view of a modified form of combined trimming knife and presser foot;

Fig. 7 is a .detailed plan view of a clamping member employed on the modified form of presser foot shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a platform sole and attached sock lining intended to be operated upon by the machine of the present invention. and;

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are sectional views of a shoe showing successive stages of its construction up to its completion in Fig. 11.

Th illustrated machine. is generally similar to that of Patent No. 1,198,405 above referred to and is arranged foroperation upon a Veldtschoen The machine is designed to last and secure simultaneously the parts of a shoe together and in the'present form of the machine a shoe of the platform type is intended to be constructed simulating in many respects a shoe of the type normally known as a slip lasted shoe.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 9 to 11 of the drawings the shoe is provided with a relatively resilient platform l2 having attached thereto a sock lining M. The upper 0f the shoe is indicated at l6 surrounding a last 18 and attached to the sock lining M by threadstitches 28 passing also through one edge of a platform wrapper or cover strip 22.

The machine has a curved hook needle 24 and a curved awl 26 and other stitch forming devices arranged to forma lock stitch seam. The shoe is fed by the awl which is mounted on a feed slide 28. For lasting the upper the machine is provided with a lasting mechanism comprising a gripper having an upper jaw 30 and a'lower jaw 32 actuated in timed relation with the stitch forming devices.- The machine also is provided with a work support 34 and a presser foot of special construction arranged to cooperate in an advantageous manner with the platform sole l2 of the shoe. The presser foot is secured to a lever 36; v

The platform sole I2 and the sock lining M are substantially the same as employed in the usual construction of a platform type slip lasted shoe except that instead of securing the sock lining and platform sole throughout their entire adjacent engaging surfaces their marginal portions are left free from their extreme edges inwardly along a line approximately a half inch from their edges. ;In addition the edge of the platform sole at one side approximately in line with the breast of the heel surface is provided with a notch 38 enteringthe edge substantially the same distance as the line limiting the attachment of the platform sole and sock lining. To secure the sock lining to the platform sole an adhesive of known composition is employed. With the platform sole and sock lining constructed in the manner indicated it is located on the tread surface of the last [8 about which the upper 16 is stretched and temporarily secured in place. The parts are then presented to the machine which inserts the permanent fastening .ZO-and directs the wrapper strip 22 into the seam.

The seam is directed in the machine by the engagement with the bulginglast supported surface of theshoe upper Hi, to' conform with the shape of the last employed; After completing the seam the wrapper strip 22 is lasted over the edge of the platform sole and carried beneath the platform'scle as shown-in Fig. 11, covering the bottom edge of the platform sole and the folded under edges of the wrapper strip. An'outsole 40 is attached to complete the shoe. In order to enable the wrapper strip to belasted over the edge of the platform sole the edge of the sole is severed and trimmed oif nearly to the line marking the inward limit of the free marginal portions between the platform sole and the sock lining, this trimming operation being accomplished simultaneously with the sewing. Thus, both the sewing and trimming are directed together in conformity with the shape of the last employed.

To insure cutting the platform sole entirely through without danger of injury tothe sock lining, according to a feature of the invention, a knife is employed with a knife holder having a relatively thin fin or disk which enters between the free and unattached'marginal portions of the platform sole and the sock lining, clamping the sock lining to the work support and guarding the sock lining against injury by the knife. The knife and fin constitute a separate attachment to the presser foot lever 26 replacing the regular presser foot employed on the machine of the Bates patent.

The knife and fin are illustrated more clearly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and are connected to a presser foot knife holder block 52. The knife holder block has a ribbed vertical clamping surface fitting the presser foot receiving end of the lever 36. The knife comprises a removable blade 44 clamped within a seat in a notch (see Fig. 4) in the block 42 by a clamp member 4% having a lug engaging the knife blade 44 and a fulcrum rib 48 engaging a groove in the block G2. Between the blade engaging lug and the rib 48 the clamp member is perforated to receive a clamping screw 50 threaded into the block 42.

The fin is a portion of the block 42 and is indicated at 52 formed integrally with the block The block 42 is provided with a rectangular recess into which the marginal portion of the platform sole l2 may ride. The fin 52 is beveled along its edges for easy movement between the platform sole and the sock lining and protects the lower cutting edge of the blade 4d against contact with the sock lining, the blade being engaged with the fin at its lower end.

At the start of a sewing operation on a shoe the shoe is presented to the machine in a manner to cause the blade to enter the notch 38 in the platform sole, the fin 52 projecting between and separating the platform sole and the sock lining. As soon as the machine is started the knife blade 44 begins to trim off a section of the marginal portion along the platform sole slightly in advance of the point of operation of the needle 2Q. Preferably the trimming knife block 32 is adjusted in its mounting on the lever 35 at a position where the knife will act approximately one sixteenth of an inch inside the line of the seam inserted by the needle. To enable the needle to operate without obstruction the trimmed off marginal portion of the platform sole is wedged rearwardly away from the main body of the sole. The-cutting ,edgejcf theiknife blade is provided with a marked wedge. shape. to prevent interferencebetweenthe material trimmed from the'marginal portion ofthe sole and theoperating parts in the machine;- the knife wedging the trimmed material behind the needle path. The .b1ock42isprovided with: aguard plate as projecting in the direction of .the completed stitches inia' seam beyond the: sewing point, the plate be ing inclinedrearwardly. ofthe machine sufficiently'to enable-the trimmedzmaterialof the sole to clearthe :operating parts ofithe machine behind the sewingpoint.

Thetrimmed rmarginal material of the platform: sole '[2' enters :the: recess in theblock .42 ,abovei'the fin 52 during operation of the machine but frequently the thickness of the 'sole is not sufflcientto"fill the entire crecess. The clamping action. of the machine, accordingly,..is dependent upon the engagement ofrthe fin' 52.0n the sock lining Hi so that thefin acts as a presser foot forclampingthesock lining, upper and edge portion of 'thewrapper strip against the work support 34. c

To avoid any tendency forthe clampedparts of the shoetc become distorted andto insure that theplatform sole will be guided intoia substantially perpendicular relationship to the knife blade 44 where the sole is of insufiicient thickness to fill the recess in the block 42, the blade is surrounded by a spring pressed sliding collar 56, shown more clearly in Figs. 6 and '7. This collar is somewhat elongated along the seam line and receives the knife blade within an inside opening. The collar is bent upwardly and rounded at its ends to avoid digging into the tread surface of the platform sole along its central portion. The collar is formed with a pair of eyes within which project the inturned ends of a U-shaped wire spring 58 clamped by a set screw 60 along its central portion to the knife block 42. v

The machine of the Bates patent is provided with a thread pull-01f mechanism automatically adjusted to cause an amount of thread to be measured in accordance with the thickness of the work clamped between the presser foot and the work support. This pull-off mechanism also is employed in the present machine and is adjusted to insure automatic measurement of thread sufficient to sew material of thickness corresponding to the relative clamping position of the fin 52 on the knife block 42. However, the variation in thickness of the work operated upon in the illustrated machine is not so marked as when the entire thickness of an outsole also is being sewn. Also it is desirable to relieve the clamping pressure on the presser foot on the.

work while the work is being fed. For this pur-- pose the presser foot actuating mechanism has been modified from that illustrated in the Bates patent so that a positive presser foot lifting movement is obtained during each sewing cycle. For this purpose the presser foot lever 35 which is fulcrumed on a shaft 62 is engaged at the rearward side of its fulcrum shaft by a set screw 64 carried by an angle plate 66 clamped to an actuating arm 68 rotatably mounted on the fulcrum shaft 62. The rearward end of the actuating arm 68 is connected to a short link I9 in turn connected to a cam actuated lever 12 having a roll 14 engaging a cam on a main sewing shaft 16 of the machine.

For directing the platform cover or wrapper to the sewing point an L-shaped guide 18 is pro- 7 vided secured to the awl carrying feed-slide 28. The guide 18 is disposed to apply the wrapper to the outflanged upper of the shoe in angularly bent relation, with the shorter arm of the angle contacting the upper and with the apex of the angle coinciding with the angle between the bulging side and the outflanged portion of the upper.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and the particular embodiment having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for sewing an upper to a sock lining attached intermediate its marginal portions to a platform sole, said machine having stitch forming devices and work clamping members comprising a work support, in combination with a presser foot and knife holder block formed with a notch, a knife removably clamped in the notch in the block for severing the unattached marginal portion of the platform sole during operation of the stitch forming devices and a fin on the block engaged by the knife at one end of its cutting edge to clamp the sock lining and upper on the work support and to protect the cutting edge of the knife from contact with the sock lining. Y

2. A machine for sewing an upper to a sock lining attached intermediate its marginal portions to a platform sole, said machine having stitch forming devices and work clamping members comprising a work support, in combination with a presser foot and knife holder block, a knife removably clamped on the block for severing the unattached marginal portion of the platform sole during operation of the stitch forming devices, a fin on the block engaged by the knife at one end of its cutting edge to clamp the sock lining against the work support and to protect the cutting edge of the knife from contact with the sock lining, and a spring pressed collar movable along the knif to guide the platform sole into a substantially perpendicular relationship to the knife.

CYRIL HARRY JAMES.

FRED RICKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 374,440 Wilcox Dec. 6, 1887 672,041 Noble Apr. 16, 1901 1,030,767 Beckman June 25, 1912 1,198,405 Bates Sept. 19, 1916 

